** President Joe Biden announced sanctions on the construction company for the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline after Germany put a hold on it following Russia’s aggressions toward Ukraine. The sanctions are on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers.
** The Biden administration is holding off for now on sanctions against Russia that could disrupt global aluminum supplies, according to people familiar with the matter, as the market grapples with already severe shortages of the metal.
** Federal officials have reversed a decision to allow a South Florida nuclear power plant to continue running for another 30 years by ordering a new review of potential environmental risks, including those posed by climate change.
** The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Thursday that domestic natural-gas supplies fell by 129 billion cubic feet for the week ended Feb. 18.
** President Joe Biden’s administration resumed the largest ever U.S. sale of offshore wind development rights on Thursday, with combined bids for six areas off the coasts of New York and New Jersey climbing above $1.5 billion.
** U.S. offshore oil producer Talos Energy Inc on Friday said it aims to file permit applications for several carbon capture projects this year, a key step to developing carbon sequestration hubs along the Gulf Coast.
World
** Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine spiked nearly 38% Thursday, Bloomberg reported, citing data from Ukraine’s grid operator. European natural gas prices soared as much as 62% on the same day.
** Radiation spike has been recorded near Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant which has been seized by Russian forces, monitoring data shows. Invading Russian troops took control of the plant – the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster in 1986 – on Thursday, Ukraine said.
** EV users in Germany are facing a big jump in the price of electricity. The city of Munich is raising prices 81%.
** Putin’s military moves against Ukraine should speed liquefied-natural-gas growth in Europe, particularly in Germany, as an alternative to Russian gas.
** The global oil market was thrown into chaos on Thursday after Russia invaded Ukraine, with top buyers of Russian oil struggling to secure guarantees at Western banks or find ships to take crude from one of the world’s largest producers.